Canadian Immigration Quota Expands

Ottawa has increased its annual immigration target to the highest level in 25 years, and aims to accept between 240,000 and 265,000 newcomers in 2007 — human capital needed to fill Canada’s “extraordinary” labour market requirements, Immigration Minister Monte Solberg says.

Mr. Solberg also acknowledged that Canada’s current immigration model is flawed and pledged to introduce changes to address the enormous backlog of 800,000 applicants, as well as to adjust the selection process so that skilled tradespeople can qualify to come here.

“We were built on immigration and we think it wasn’t just important in the past but is critical to the future,” he said in an interview. “The numbers are big because we think they’ll help the country.” Click here.

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